Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Regulating Accommodation Establishments
In the OIC Member Countries
32
Standard harmonization appeared on the agenda of the World Tourism Organization for
many years. Its 2004 study in partnership with hotel associations found that, essentially,
global standards are not necessarily desirable. However, the WTO still views quality
standards as critical. As noted earlier, the WTO has developed a service offering whereby it
supports various constituencies to develop quality standards using a thorough process.
Need for External Approval
In general, countries are not required to have the approval of any international bodies, such
as the WTO, ISO, or IH&RA, before adopting hotel quality standards. However, in cases where
a country or its hotel association is already a member of a regional or international entity
such as the ASEAN or the Hotelstars Union, external approval may be required before
significant adjustments are made to the national quality standard. For example, in the case of
the Hotelstars Union, a unanimous agreement of members, representing national hotel
associations, is required to make decisions 51.
Voluntary vs. Compulsory Standards
Conventional quality standards for accommodations can be either voluntary or compulsory,
depending on the standard. 52 As in any sector, the general preference of the private sector, i.e.
hotel operators and their associations, is to avoid obligatory regulation in favor of voluntary
measures. In the largest tourism market, the US 53, the leading quality standards are optional;
hotels apply voluntarily to be rated by AAA. 54 Hotels in the UK also voluntarily apply to the AA
for recognition.55 However, in cases where health and safety are a concern, or where the
accommodation sector is not yet up to international standards, compulsory regulations can
help local hotels become more competitive for the global traveler.56 Mature markets often
have compulsory quality ratings, even though the key benefits have most likely been realized
in the past.
In the case of alternative quality measures such as environmental standards, they are mostly
voluntary in nature as of 2015. They provide accommodation providers with an opportunity
to differentiate and outperform competition. As these ratings typically have limited direct
relation to health and safety, any attempt to make them compulsory would likely face
resistance from the private sector which is represented by local hotel associations. 57
However, the more widely a standard is accepted, the more likely market players will find
themselves forced to adopt it for competitive reasons.
51 De Barrin, Christian. "HSU Slovenia." HOTREC, June 2014. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.
52 Diana Foris. "Comparative Analysis of Hotel Classification and Quality Mark in Hospitality." Journal of Tourism and
Hospitality Management 2.1 (2014): 26-39. David Publishing, 29 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
53 UNWTO Tourism Highlights - 2016 Edition. Rep. 2016 ed. Madrid: UNWTO, 2016. UNWTO, 2016. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
54 AAA Tourism Information Development. Approval Requirements & Diamond Rating Guidelines. Heathrow, FL: AAA
Tourism Information Development, 2012. AAA Publishing, June 2012. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.
55 Application for AA Recognition - Hotels. N.p.: AA Hotel Services, 2016. Print.
56 The Joint WTO & IH&RA Study on Hotel Classification. Rep. World Tourism Organization and IH&RA, 16 Apr. 2004. Web. 4
Oct. 2016.
57 HOTREC - Key European Measures. Rep. N.p.: HOTREC, n.d. HOTREC, 09 Aug. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.